A specially-commissioned play, written by Mike Kenny

A World Premiere

How one child keeps it together
while war breaks out on the streets of his home town…

Christy (Bullet) Brady is a boy with a mission. He wants to be the fastest runner in his street. If he can only run fast enough, he’ll be taken on as a messenger boy and maybe earn a bit of money for his family.

Europe is at war and in Dublin times are hard. When the Easter Rising kicks off, revolution is the last thing on Christy’s mind. He’s just carrying a message for his Ma. It turns out to be just the first of many messages he carries that week, and each one takes him closer and closer to the heart of the conflict.

The Messenger looks at the impact of the Rising on ordinary families like the Brady’s, and at the messages that history carries from the past to the present. The play offers the opportunity to take a wider view of children’s lives in conflict today.

For children aged 8+ Running time: 60 mins approx

County Kilkenny Schools booking The Messenger will be offered a free drama workshop in their school, exploring the themes of the play. Barnstorm has collaborated with Ann Murtagh, teacher and Tutor at Kilkenny Education Centre, to create this resource. Futher details on booking.
This initiative is supported by Kilkenny County Council as part of their Centenary Programme.